Banner Image

Rules

Disclaimer – Please Note

Flag Football is a contact sport with the possibility of injury.  All participants are liable for their own well-being.  Neither the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg nor the Student Association is liable for injuries.

Table of Contents

  1. Field Dimensions
  2. Players
  3. Equipment
  4. Game Length
  5. Huddle
  6. Time-Outs
  7. First Downs
  8. Scoring
  9. Kick-Off
  10. Line of Scrimmage
  11. Eligible Receivers
  12. Legal Pass Reception
  13. Overtime
  14. Tournament Tie Breakers
  15. Fumbles
  16. Punts
  17. Substitutions
  18. Center Snap
  19. Runner Down
  20. Player Set and Motion
  21. Blocking and Offensive Line Rules
  22. Defensive Rules
  23. 5 Yard Bump on Receivers
  24. Use of Hands
  25. Hurdling
  26. Forward Pass
  27. Laterals
  28. Pass Interference
  29. Missing Flags or Flags
  30. Flag Pulling
  31. Penalties

Field Dimensions

  1. 80 x 40 yards plus 10 yards for each End zone
  2. Field is marked in 20-yard increments:  20 yard line, and Midfield. Endzone – 20 – 40 – 20 – Endzone

Players

  1. Each team will have 8 players
  2. Offense must have 5 players within one yard of the line of scrimmage.
  3. Defense must have 3 players within one yard of the line of scrimmage.
  4. There must be two women per team on the field at all times (P.17)

Equipment

  1. A 3 flag belt will be used by all players
  2. There should be a flag on each hip and one in back.
  3. Shirts must be tucked in to avoid any flag pulling problems.
  4. Kicking tee is optional for kickoffs and free kicks.
  5. Cleats are allowed as long as they are not metal, metal tipped, or replaceable
  6. Pads are to be worn only to protect a previous injury and must be soft.
  7. A regulation football will be used and must be agreed upon by both team captains.
    *Each team can bring their own balls but they must be agreed upon before the games starts by both captains.

Game Length

  1. The game consists of two 25-minute halves with a five-minute halftime.
  2. The clock will run continuously for the first 23 minutes of the half.  Time will stop at the two minute warning.  The clock will continue to run continuously after play resumes.
    *The head Referee has the ability to stop the clock for injury.

Huddle

Teams have 30 seconds from the previously play to snap the ball. Should the referees believe a team is taking an inordinate amount of time to snap the ball (around 30 seconds) a 10 second warning will be called. The referee will then count down starting at 10 and if the ball is not snapped before ten seconds is over a penalty will be assessed.   (P1)

Time-Outs

  1. Each team has one time-out per half for 60 seconds.
  2. Time-outs unused from the first half are forfeited.
  3. The clock will be stopped during time-outs.
  4. Time-outs can be used anytime during the half

First Downs

A first down is awarded every 20 yards. There will a first down marker on the 20 yards line, 40 yard line, and 20 yard line on the opposite side of the field. Therefore you do not have to travel 20 yard to get a first down, you only have to advance to or past those designated markers.

Scoring

  1. Touchdown is 6 points
  2. Extra points are attempted from the 5-yard line and are worth 2 points.
  3. Safety is worth 2 points. After a safety the team that scores will be the receiving team for the kick-off.

Kick-Off

  1. At halftime the teams switch directions and the team who kicked off the first half will receive at the start of the second half.
  2. All kick-offs are from the team’s own 20 yard marker.
  3. The kicking team may elect to place kick, punt, or throw the ball.
  4. No member of the kicking team may cross the 20 yard Field Mark until the ball has been kicked or thrown.
  5. If the receiving team downs the ball in the end zone or the ball goes through the end zone without being touched, the receiving team gains possession at their own 20 yard Field Mark.
  6. On the kickoff, the ball is down where it hits the ground, whether it is dropped or muffed.
  7. The kicking team cannot interfere with a receiver attempting to catch the ball.
  8. A kick-off that goes out-of-bounds gives the receiving team the option to take the ball where it went out-of-bounds or have the opposing team re-kick with a five yard penalty.
  9. The receiving team lines up no closer than the Midfield yard Marker.  There must be 3 members of the receiving team on the Midfield marker.

Line of Scrimmage

  1. Only the center’s head, arms, and hands can be in the neutral zone.  No other part of the center’s body can be over the farthest edge of the ball. (P1)
  2. No other player may enter the neutral zone. (P1)
  3. Players may not taunt one another to draw offside.  The Defense may not imitate the snap count. (P2)
  4. There must be five offensive players on the line of scrimmage. (P1)
  5. There must be three defensive linemen on the line of scrimmage. (P1)
  6. Defensive line must stay within the outer foot of the offensive line players.  You cannot line up wider then the outside foot of the offensive line.  This does not count a tight end as a linemen, only the three actual linemen.
  7. Offensive line must have their feet within 6 inches of each other before the snap.  You may not line up and wider than that.

Eligible Receivers

  1. All offensive players are eligible receivers.
  2. If an offensive players flag belt falls off unintentionally the receiver is still eligible but down as soon as they catch the ball.
  3. Premature pulling of a flag on either side will result in a penalty.

Legal Pass Reception

The receiver must gain possession of the ball and have at least one foot in bounds.

Overtime

  1. If there is a tie after regulation time, each team will receive four plays from the 20 yard line to score.  If they score they will get a chance for the extra point.
  2. If both teams do not score or score the same amount of points, the procedure is repeated until one team wins.
  3. A coin flip will decide who goes first and which end zones to use.  Both teams are to use the same end zone.

Tournament Tie Breakers

In the event of a bracket tie, the team with the great amount of total points (Points Scored minus Points Scored Against) will proceed to the championship game.

Fumbles

The ball is dead where it hits the ground and the team with possession retains possession.

Punts

  1. Offense must declare their choice of either going for the first down or punting.
  2. No player can cross the line of scrimmage before the ball has been kicked or thrown. (P1)
  3. The punter for the offense may start with the ball.  The ball does not need to be snapped.
  4. All punts into the end zone through the air are placed at the 20 yard Field Line.
  5. Minimum linemen rules are in effect.
  6. If a punt goes out of bounds it is down were it went out of bounds.
  7. On the punt, a touched ball is down where the ball lands. If the ball is not touched it is down where it hits first.

Substitutions

Substitutions may be made on all dead-ball plays and in between plays.

Center Snap

The ball must be snapped between the center’s legs.  (P1)

Runner Down

The ball carrier is considered down if one knee, elbow… (NCAA rules) touches the ground, if the flag belt is pulled, or by going out-of-bounds.

Player Set and Motion

  1. All offensive players, except a player in motion, must be set for one second before the center snap. (P1)
  2. Only one player may be in motion at a time.  The motion must be parallel to or away from the line of scrimmage until the ball is snapped.  (P1)

Blocking and Offensive Line Rules

  1. There is no holding at any time (p6)
  2. No blocking above the neckline or below the waist. (P2)
  3. Players may not lower his or her head or shoulders into an opposing player. (P2)
  4. Any initial contact to the back, anywhere on the field is a clip. (P15)
  5. No linemen, under any circumstance, may line up in a 3-point stance. (P1)
  6. Linemen, running backs, and tight ends will follow these guidelines
    * The offensive players listed above can block with their arms extended in front of them.  They may not bring in their hands in order to push.
    You may only make contact with your hands, you may not use elbows or shoulders to try to stop a defensive player.
    Arms will be extended forward and the offensive player may use them to keep him or herself in-between the defensive player and whoever they blocking for.
    Downfield blocking will be Shield Blocking which is described in #7 below.
  7. Shield Blocking downfield is legal, in other words you can get in the way of someone but not block with hands.
    There will be no extending of the arms.  In other words just get in the way and keep your hands inside and close to the body.
  8. The offense has the choice of placing their female players on the offensive line.  If the offense places a female player on the line, the defense has to match that female player with one of their female players
    * If the offense places two female players on the line, the defense must put two female on the defensive line. If the offense places three females on the line, the defense only has to match with 2 female players since the rule is a two female minimum.

Defensive Rules

  1. A defensive player may not use his/her hands to get around a blocker that is in-between them and the flags that he/she are attempting to pull.
  2. A defensive player may not run into or through any offensive blocker in order to get to the flags that he/she are attempting to pull.
    * This includes someone trying to create a hole by running into offensive line players.
  3. A defensive player who is attempting to get past a block must attempt to go around the block.  Minimal contact is allowed.
  4. The penalty for these infractions will be Penalty #5
  5. See Rule #8 from the blocking and offensive line rules.

5 Yard Bump on Receivers

  1. This rule will use the same rules as the blocking and rushing rules above.
  2. The Defensive player in this case can have their arms extended and the offensive player must attempt to go around the defensive player.
    a. The offensive player may not run straight into the defensive player
    b. The offensive player may not use his or her hands to knock down the hands of the defender.
  3. This contact can only occur within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage.  Any contact down field can be called for holding or pass interference. (P9, P10)
  4. Wide Receivers may block like linemen within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage on running plays (See Blocking and Offensive Line Rules)

Use of Hands

  1. No stiff arming is allowed. Arms may not lock on blocking (P7)
  2. No flag guarding is allowed. You may not use your hands or the ball to stop someone from grabbing your flag. (P8)
  3. No grabbing of the ball carrier’s arm, body, or clothing is allowed. (P6)
  4. No attempting to strip the ball. If the ball is stripped then the ball is down were the possession was lost.

Hurdling

You cannot jump, dive, or hurdle while carrying the ball.  (P1)

Forward Pass

  1. Defenders cannot make contact with the passer’s arm because you should be going after the passer’s flags. (P5)
  2. A forward pass is any pass that is thrown up the field from a position behind the line of scrimmage that crosses the line of scrimmage.  The pass can be overhand, underhand, or sidearm.
  3. Only one forward pass per play. (P1)
  4. If a second forward pass is made across the line of scrimmage then a penalty will be assessed from the point at which the second forward pass was thrown.

Laterals

  1. A lateral is any movement of the ball backwards or parallel to the point where the ball is.
  2. Any number of laterals is legal in a play.
  3. At any point the ball hits the ground the play is dead and possession remain with the ball carrier.

Pass Interference

It is illegal to interfere with anyone’s right, offensive or defensive, to catch the ball. (P9, P10)

Missing Flags or Flags

  1. The ball is dead where a player who has inadvertently lost his/her flags handles the ball.
  2. Premature flag pulling will be penalized 5 yards (P3).

Flag Pulling

The tackler should drop the flag belt as soon as possible to aid the referee in spotting the ball.  It is illegal to pull a flag from a player who isn’t carrying the ball. (P3)

*After a touchdown the referee will pull the flags of the scorer to make sure that the flags are still live. (p16)

Penalties

P1. Offside/Illegal Procedure – 5 yards
P2. Personal Foul (Unsportsmanlike Conduct/Unnecessary Roughness Hurdling, Diving) – 10 yards.  If the same player receives two of these penalties will be ejected.  Automatic first down if penalty is upon a member of the defensive team.
P3. Illegal Flag Pulling – 5 yards and first down
P4. Inadvertent Tackle – 5 yards from the point of infraction and renew the down.
P5. Roughing the Passer – 10 yards and first down
P6. Illegal Use of Hands/Holding – 5 yards and renew down
P7. Stiff Arming – 10 yards from point of infraction
P8. Flag Guarding – 5 yards from point of infraction
P9. Defensive Pass Interference – Ball is spotted at the point of infraction plus an automatic first down.  If it is in the end zone, ball is placed on the one yard line.
P10. Offensive Pass Interference – 10 yards from the line of scrimmage plus the loss of that down.
P15. Clipping – 10 yards will be assessed from the line of scrimmage
P16. Flag tampering- no touchdown and the ball returns to the line of scrimmage with a 5 yard penalty
P17. Less then two women on the field during offense – 10 yards

** If at any point the penalty is assessed against the defense and the resulting penalty will put them in the end zone then the penalty will be switch to half the distance to the goal line.

All other problems will be settled upon agreement of team captains.